Cost effective pressure sensors for gas meters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12455183-B2
Application number	US-202117395287-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2021
Priority date	Aug 5, 2021
Publication date	Oct 28, 2025
Grant date	Oct 28, 2025

Abstract

Cost effective pressure sensors for gas meters are described herein. In an example, responsive to an abnormal condition at an ultrasonic metrology unit of a gas meter, rates of pressure sensor operation are increased. In the example, the operations may include: measuring gas-environment pressure values; measuring contemporaneous air-environment pressure values; calculating pressure difference values of the gas-environment pressure values minus the contemporaneous air-environment pressure values; and comparing pressure difference values to one or more threshold values.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gas meter, comprising:
a metrology printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) located in a gas-environment of the gas meter, wherein the metrology PCBA comprises a first pressure sensor to make at least two gas pressure measurements, wherein a first pressure value is calculated by averaging the at least two gas pressure measurements, wherein averaging the at least two gas pressure measurements comprises:
averaging a number of gas pressure measurements, wherein the number is based at least in part on performance characteristics of a gas pressure sensor of the metrology PCBA and a barometric pressure sensor of an index PCBA;

a flow measuring unit (FMU) at least partially located in the gas-environment and in communication with the metrology PCBA; and
the index PCBA being located in an air-environment of the gas meter, wherein a bus connects the index PCBA within the air-environment and the metrology PCBA in the gas-environment, wherein the air-environment and the gas-environment are separated by a portion of an enclosure of the gas meter through which the bus passes, wherein the air-environment has a barometric pressure of atmospheric air, and wherein the index PCBA comprises:
a processor;
a memory device in communication with the processor;
a second pressure sensor to measure a second pressure value; and
commands stored in the memory device and executable by the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving, at the index PCBA, the first pressure value from the metrology PCBA;
calculating a pressure difference value equal to the first pressure value minus the second pressure value;
comparing the pressure difference value to a threshold value; and
responsive to the pressure difference value exceeding the threshold value, performing an action.

2. The gas meter of claim 1 , wherein the action comprises at least one of:
closing a gas valve;
sending a first message indicating a low-pressure event;
sending a second message indicating a high-pressure event;
sending a third message indicating gas meter tampering; and
sending at least one of the first pressure value, the second pressure value, or the pressure difference value to a remote computing device.

3. The gas meter of claim 1 , wherein:
the first pressure sensor comprises a first micro electrical mechanical system (MEMS) and is attached to the metrology PCBA in the gas-environment; and
the second pressure sensor comprises a second MEMS and is attached to the index PCBA in the air-environment.

4. The gas meter of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
receiving, at the metrology PCBA, a first message from the FMU of the gas meter indicating an abnormal condition; and
receiving, at the index PCBA, a second message from the metrology PCBA of the gas meter indicating the abnormal condition,
wherein the calculating of the pressure difference value and comparing to the threshold value are performed in response to the second message.

5. The gas meter of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
responsive to an abnormal condition at the FMU, increasing rates of:
pressure measurements made at the first pressure sensor and made at the second pressure sensor; and
calculations of pressure difference values and comparisons of the pressure difference values to the threshold value.

6. The gas meter of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
responsive to a signal-gain variation of an ultrasonic signal used to measure gas flowrate through the gas meter, within a window of a timed duration, measured by the FMU exceeding a second threshold value, performing actions comprising:
increasing, by the first pressure sensor and by the second pressure sensor, a rate of pressure measurements; and
increasing, by the processor, a rate of at least one of the calculating or the comparing.

7. The gas meter of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
sending the second pressure value to a remote computing device.

8. The gas meter of claim 1 , wherein
the number is additionally based at least in part on a difference between a first pressure threshold below which indicates low gas pressure and a second pressure threshold above which indicates high gas pressure requiring closure of a gas shutoff valve.

9. A method of operating a gas meter, comprising:
averaging at least two gas pressure measurements made at a metrology printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) to thereby calculate a first pressure value, wherein averaging the at least two gas pressure measurements comprises:
averaging a number of gas pressure measurements, wherein the number is based at least in part on a difference between a first pressure threshold below which indicates low gas pressure and a second pressure threshold above which indicates high gas pressure requiring closure of a gas shutoff valve;

receiving, at an index PCBA within an air-environment of the gas meter, the first pressure value of gas pressure sent from the metrology PCBA in a gas-environment of the gas meter;
measuring, at the index PCBA, a second pressure value of atmospheric air pressure within the air-environment of the gas meter;
calculating, at the index PCBA, a pressure difference value equal to the first pressure value minus the second pressure value;
comparing, at the index PCBA, the pressure difference value to a threshold value; and
responsive to the pressure difference value exceeding the threshold value, performing an action.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein performing the action comprises at least one of:
sending a first message indicating a high-pressure event;
closing a gas valve;
sending a second message indicating a low-pressure event;
sending a third message indicating tampering with the gas meter; and
sending at least one of the first pressure value, the second pressure value, or the pressure difference value to a remote computing device.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the first pressure value was measured by a first micro electrical mechanical system (MEMS) attached to the metrology PCBA in the gas-environment; and
the second pressure value was measured by a second MEMS attached to the index PCBA in the air-environment.

12. The method of claim 9 , additionally comprising:
responsive to an abnormal condition at a flow measuring unit (FMU), increasing rates of:
measuring of gas-environment pressure values;
measuring of contemporaneous air-environment pressure values;
calculating pressure difference values of the gas-environment pressure values minus the contemporaneous air-environment pressure values; and
comparing the pressure difference values to the threshold value.

13. The method of claim 9 , additionally comprising:
recognizing signal-gain of an ultrasonic signal used to measure gas flowrate through the gas meter over a second threshold value in an output of an ultrasonic metrology unit; and
responsive to the signal-gain over the second threshold value, increasing a rate at which pressure is measured:
in the gas-environment of the gas meter; and
in the air-environment of the gas meter.

14. The method of claim 9 , additionally comprising:
recognizing signal-gain of an ultrasonic signal used to measure gas flowrate through the gas meter over a second threshold value in an output of an ultrasonic metrology unit; and
responsive to the signal-gain over the second threshold value, increasing a rate at which the pressure difference value is calculated and compared to the threshold value.

15. The method of claim 9 , additionally comprising:
comparing, at the index PCBA, the pressure difference value

Assignees

• Itron Global Sarl

Inventors

• Iliev George

Classifications

• G01F1/50

  Correcting or compensating means · CPC title

• G01F1/206

  Measuring pressure, force or momentum of a fluid flow which is forced to change its direction · CPC title

• G01D4/002

  Remote reading of utility meters · CPC title

• G01F15/10 Primary

  Preventing damage by freezing or excess pressure or insufficient pressure · CPC title

• G01F15/002

  for gases · CPC title